Industrial Supplier Beats the Competition with Integrated CRM Solution

Transcription

1 Industrial Supplier Beats the Competition with Integrated CRM Solution Deacon Industrial Supply turns to Microsoft Gold Partner Beringer Associates and Microsoft Dynamics CRM for improved efficiencies and better customer service. Beringer Associates, Inc Hylton Road Pennsauken, NJ Phone: Fax: Web:

2 Until recently, technology solutions for distributors focused primarily on back office operations. Now, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) has emerged as the solution for customer facing and front office operations. Futurefocused distributors are now integrating both the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems for the back office with CRM for seamless customer service and supply chain management. CHALLENGE Managing Data to Keep Competitive Edge Deacon Industrial Supply is a family-owned distributor of pipe, valves, and fittings, primarily serving Industrial MRO and OEM as well as the Commercial Construction in the Mid-Atlantic region since Driven by a commitment to providing the best customer service, Deacon has steadily grown into the region s leading industrial supplier, employing more than 100 employees across multiple locations, including a fleet of 18 trucks, and at least as many field reps. Says Deacon CEO William Vail, Because we stock the exact same products other distributors offer, what we are really selling is our distribution service and supply chain management. For that reason, says Vail, Deacon needed a customized program that tracked more than just sales. Our reps are customer relationship managers. Not all our client visits are for sales. We are calling on engineers, plant managers, project managers and others. We needed a way to better gauge how much time our reps were actually spending building relationships, he says. Leveraging Data for Better Customer Service He began with a thorough evaluation of all the company s existing data tracking and management systems. Says Deacon IT Manager Leo Foster, For the sales team, we had built our own in-house time and expense program, but it was fairly simple. It tracked visits to customers and prospects as well as time spent and related expenses, but that was the extent of it. Deacon was also running Activant Prophet 21 as its ERP system, but according to Foster, lack of real time information was putting the credibility of Deacon s sales reps on the line. The reps in the field could not access it so sometimes they walked into situations where they were not as informed as they needed to be. When Vail says he and his team heard about Microsoft Dynamics Customer Relationship Management (CRM), We were intrigued. We liked the flexibility it seemed to offer. Vail also says that Deacon placed its trust in Microsoft Gold Certified partners Beringer Associates because, Beringer was very good at hearing us. Beringer Associates helps Deacon Industrial Beat the Competition 2

3 Beringer Associates, Inc. a Gold Certified Microsoft Partner and Expert in CRM Solutions for Distributors Brought It All Together Foster says that Deacon reviewed various CRM systems, and met with several technology solutions providers, but determined that Microsoft and Beringer Associates together provided the most comprehensive solution to Deacon s challenge. Of all the systems we looked at, Microsoft Dynamics CRM really was the best. It is the most flexible. It worked with the systems and the hardware we already had and we could customize it to do all the things we wanted it to do. But it was everything Beringer brought to the table that made all the difference. Vail agrees, They had a thorough knowledge of how to gather all of our Activant data and bring it through the Microsoft system. Along with being one of only a select number of technology solutions companies globally to be Microsoft Gold Certified, Beringer is also the leading expert in delivering fully integrated CRM solutions to the distribution industry. That mattered a lot to us, says Foster. We needed more than just someone to install the program. We needed a company we could trust for the long haul, one who has the resources and knowledge to respond quickly when an issue arises and is willing to take the time to work with us as our business needs change. We chose Beringer because of their expertise with Microsoft CRM and their desire to help us get the most out of our CRM solution. Unlike some partners I have dealt with I am confident Beringer will be there for us when we need them. Technology to Support and Motivate Sales Team In addition to providing real-time data to support field reps, Deacon sought to give both reps and management the ability to know immediately when a customer service issue, or any other issue, was imminent. According to Foster, We wanted to prevent situations where a customer might call the company and speak with a customer service rep about delivery problems or other issues, but the sales rep actually in charge of the account had no idea what was going on. Maybe the first time they would hear of the issue would be the next time they met with the client. Now the rep knows before they walk in the door. Adds Vail, The new system lets us track who was spoken to at any time, what was said, and what action was taken. Our customers are not used to this kind of immediate response. The value-add is enormous. Now the Deacon Management Team can track all daily customer activity. In just about a half an hour a day, Vail says he can see in great detail what is happening with each customer, enhancing Deacon s ability to respond to small problems before they become big ones. We are large enough to meet our customers pricing, scale and efficiency needs. With the Microsoft CRM, now we can focus on excellent service, says Vail. Beringer Associates helps Deacon Industrial Beat the Competition 3

4 Increased Accountability After implementation, says Vail, There were many adjustments in the sales team s expectations of time management and productivity. Deacon field reps now have daily access to statistics on activities such as time spent with nondecision makers, and the quantity and make of competitive products used by clients. Since implementing our Microsoft CRM with Beringer, we have seen actual face time with our clients at least double. This gives us enormous market opportunity, and allows our reps to be more enterprising, meaning they have the chance to make more money, says Vail. Beringer Associates: Specialists in Supply Chain Management Technology Solutions Beringer Associates has nearly fifteen years of experience providing technology solutions to the distribution industry. Prior to founding Beringer Associates, President & CEO Craig Beringer ran a large electronics distribution business, giving him more than twenty-five years of experience in the distribution industry. Dave Buggy, vice president and partner, has extensive experience in technology for the distribution space. Prior to joining Beringer, Buggy led the support team at Prophet 21. Paula Brainard, Beringer Associates lead project manager, has extensive IT experience in the distribution industry. Our team is unbeatable when it comes to delivering technology solutions to supply chain businesses. We know firsthand what works and doesn t work, Beringer says. Rapid, Thorough Integration Before designing Deacon s system, Beringer Associates met with Deacon s Executive Team to plan the project s specifics, including the integration points with Prophet 21, the number and type of custom reports needed, the workflow and applications designs, and other aspects. Beringer was very thorough, and they immediately understood our objectives, says Foster. Once all details were clear, with Deacon s help, Beringer was able to implement the new system in less than a month. Overall, the disruption was minimal, he says. Brainard agrees that Microsoft s CRM was the best choice for Deacon because of the need for integration to their existing Prophet 21 ERP system, and the level of specificity Deacon wanted. With Microsoft, we could easily and cost effectively deliver the solution that Deacon was looking for. The beauty of Microsoft CRM is that it has a completely flexible platform, allowing us to tailor the entire application to each client s needs, she says. Custom Training for Faster Results Because Deacon s system was highly customized, Beringer designed training classes specifically for Deacon employees, rather than offer them general sessions with employees from other companies. This made deploying the new system easier and faster. Says Foster, The feedback has been great. Everyone loves having all this information. They like being able to know what to expect each day. Beringer Associates helps Deacon Industrial Beat the Competition 4

5 Full-range of Services Beringer has more than a decade of direct experience implementing CRM solutions for distributors. Additionally, they work with a variety of ERP and CRM applications to create a flexible middleware product for seamless integration of ERP systems like Prophet 21 with superior CRM products such as GoldMine and Microsoft Dynamics Customer Relationship Management. Additionally, Beringer offers Managed Network Services, Business Telephone Systems and Voice over IP solutions. Tech Support Like Deacon, Beringer Associates has largely grown through providing the best possible customer service and support. That s why Beringer maintains a fully staffed help desk and call center at its headquarters in metro-philadelphia. Beringer never outsources its support desk to outside contractors and always ensures that support staff are trained in the latest technologies. Good work leads to more work, says Craig Beringer. ### Beringer Associates helps Deacon Industrial Beat the Competition 5